Grapple or means for handling goods in bulk



April 15 1924.

A. CLAYDEN GRAPPLE OR MEANS FOR HANDLING GOODS IN BULK Filed y 24. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 15 1924.

A. CLAYDEN GRAPPLE'OR MEANS FOR HANDLING GOODS IN BULK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May- 24-, 1921 iii Patented Apr. 15, 1924.

ARTHUR CLAYDEN, OF RICHMOND, ENGLAND.

GRAPPLE 0R MEANS FOR HANDLING GOODS IN BULK.

Application filed May 24, 1921. Serial No. 472,205.

To aZZ 207mm it may concern.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR CLAYDEN, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at 1 Red Lion Street, Richmond, in the county of Surrey, England, have invented certain new and useful Improved Grapples or Means for Handling Goods in Bulk, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to what are known as grapples or devices for handling goods in bulk, such as hay or straw.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved grapple or means for not only handling hay or straw in bulk, but one specially applicable for lifting manure from the farn'iyard into a cart, or sand from a sand-pit, or from a river bed; also for lifting goods from the holds of ships and for other purposes where a simple and positive grappling action is required.

A furtherobject is to provide a grapple or goods handling means which is adapted for filled sack, truss, box or bale lifting through the agency of the apparatus embodied in my British specification No. 135880, or through any suitable hoisting apparatus, either power or manually operated.

According to this invention a grapple for handling goods, comprises in combination, a rigid indeformable structural frame, two independent pivotal axes carried by said frame and arranged apart from, but parallel to each other, two gripping members for gripping the goods depending respectively from such axes and oscillating each on its independent axis in the said frame, lever members connected directly to said pivotal axes for imparting their oscillatory action, and means for operating such lever members for effecting by one operation the gripping of the goods by the said gripping members and the raising of the goods for delivery at the required point.

The said levers are pivoted to arms or links connected in a suitable manner, as by a central axis, to a snap hook or swivel suspension device which is attachable to a ring or like device fastened on or forming part of the lifting rope.

All the joints of the operative parts are free and a clutching device is provided on the winch or hoisting apparatus by which the grapple or device can be positively clutched, held or braked, as required, and

'the action may be imparted by co-acting clutching members, such as cam surfaces, operable by a hand lever or automatically.

In the present construction of grapple a slotted member is provided in which a central axis or pin is free to slide down and allow for the collapse of the upper portion of the structure on the opening out of release of the grapple action and allow for the upward movement of the said axis in the slot when the grappling action is put on.

The construction is such as to allow of control preferably by the same control rope as controls the hoisting or lifting gear.

A lever or levers provided on the pivotal member or men'ibers may be employed for bringing the scoop or other members together if necessary for their full action.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of my invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of grapple or means for handling manure, hay, straw or the like;

Figure 2 is an end view thereof at right angles to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of the catch or locking device;

Figure l is a view showing perforated plates combined with tines or ribs to constitnte scoops for taking up and handling sand and other moist deposits, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken through the line of Figure 4.

In carrying the invention into effect according to Figures 1 to 3, a frame comprising rigid members a, Z) and c is employed for carrying the pivoting ends (Z of a timebar 6, of which f are the tines. Atnxed to the tine-bar c at one of their ends are twin operating levers 9, their other ends being pivoted to links or chains or other device 72, connected to a central spindle j which in the open state, as indicated by the full lines in Figure 1, is normally gripped by a weighted catch k pivoted on spindle Z carrying twin blocks m slidable in slots "/2- at each side, constituted between and formed by guide bars consisting of the upright frame members 0. The spindle Z has pivoted on to it a loop 0 to which the hauling rope p is at tached. As shown in full lines, Figure 1,

.the parts are in their normal positions ready for picking up the load, say manure. The weight of the apparatus can be such as to cause the tines to penetrate the manure without other exertion, or handles may be provided to the frame at a convenient part to assist the exertion of manual pressure. Or the spindle Z may carry weights upon its ends which may be extended laterally for that purpose.

On the hauling rope 7) commencing to exert a pull upon the grapple the tines gradually close in as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1 to take up a charge of material and as soon as the full lifting action is imparted to the hauling rope by the crane, the lever member and link connectors assume the dotted positions shown in Figure 1 and the spindles and Z are at the end of their traverse or upward movement. The load is held in this position until such time as the workman desires to release the load; when this time arrives the workman pulls a cord t with the crane control rope by which the weighted catch is released, or this can be done automatically, and when this takes place the lever members and link connectors fall by gravity and the parts again assume the full line positions.

In Figures l and 5 perforated scoops r are used when handling sand or wet materials, to allow water to escape.

he device is also adaptable for handling milk cans for lifting them into and out of millefloats or other wagons.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desir to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A grapple for handling goods, comprising in combination, a rigid indeforn'n-ible structural frame, two independent pivotal axes carried by said frame and arranged apart from, but parallel to each other, two gripping members for gripping the goods depending respectively from such axes and oscillating each'on its independent axis in the said frame, lever n'ien'ibers connected directly to said pivotal axes for imparting their o""i latory action, and means for operating such lever members for effecting by one operation the gripping of the goods 0y the said gripping members and the raising of the goods for delivery at the required point.

A grapple as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the indeformable frame has a rigid upright slotted extension formed by guide bars placed apart, a spindle with twin blocks slidable therein, means for operating the lever members comprising link members connecting the free ends of the lever members to a common axis releasably held by a catch device, and means associated with a hauling rope for raising such common axis and thereby operating the gripping members in the desired manner.

A grapple as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the means associated with the hauling rope for raising the common axis is adapted to be operated so as to disconnect the hauling rope from the said common axis so that the gripping members may automatically open and release the goods.

at. A grapple for handling goods comprising in combination, a rigid iinefornrable structural frame, two pivotal axes carried by said frame and arranged apart from, but parallel to each other, two gripping members for gripping the goods. depending respectively from such axes, lever members connected directly to said pivotal axes, two link members connected respectively to the free ends of the lever members, a stud member to which the free ends of the link members are pivotally connected, a hauling 'iember to which the hauling rope is connected, guiding means associated with the structural frame for permitting movement of said stud member and hauling member in a straight line, a. hook member pivotally mounted on the aforesaid hauling member and adapted to engage the aforesaid stud member, and means for disengaging such hook member from said stud member.

A grapple for handling goods conn prising a rigid indeformable structural frame, goods taking up members pivoted to said frame on parallel axes at opposite sides of the frame, a spindle connected by lever mechanism to the pivotal goods taking up members, a hook member pivoted to a member connected to the hauling rope and adapted to engage with the aforesaid spindle and means for disengaging said hook member from said spindle.

6. A grapple for handling goods comprising in combination a rigid indeformable structural frame, goods taking up members pivoted to said frame on pivotal axes at opposite sides of said frame, a spindle connected by lever mechanism to the pivotal goods taking up members, a member con nected to the hauling rope and having a limited sliding nmvement in the structural frame, a catch device for connecting the said member connected to the hauling rope, to the said spindle, means for releasing the said catch device to allow the goods taking up members to open, and means whereby on such releasing being effected the hauling member will support the frame and the fram will support the aforesaid spindle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR CLAYDEJ.

lit) 

